Electric Cyclinder Mower V Hover Mower

[237SJ]

I`ve got a Flymo that is going to give up the ghost this summer (it runs on when you let go of the handle when it`s supposed to cut out). I was thinking of replacing it with a Qualcast electric cylinder mower (something like the Concorde 32). The hover is easy to use and lightweight but I`m always hitting stones which makes the little plastic blades either damaged or they shear off altogether. What is the downside with an electric cylinder mower? Does the blade become blunt?

[murraymints]

Cylinder mower every time..better cut...the hover is a bovver because of the blades becoming damaged or detached....Cylinder blade will require sharpening but not very often...I take mine every two or three years to be done...

[237SJ]

Thanks murraymints. I think I`m convinced. I bought my mum a Flymo when my dad died. It lasted about a week and the motor packed up. The garden centre replaced it and that one lasted a couple of years before the same thing happened. They`re easy to use but not very robust. I don`t have a lot of luck with mowers.

[SlackAlice]

I tried my neighbours hover mower and couldn't get on with it. Rather than a cylinder mower have you thought about a rotary mower with wheels?

I bought a Bosch Rotak with a metal blade and it cuts my grass nicely. I did used to have a cylinder mower but used to get annoyed when some of my toughish grass used to stand up after I'd gone over it.

[woofgang]

have you got a lawn or grass? If you keep a lawn then a cylinder is best but if like most people, you have grass then I would suggest a wheeled rotary.

[Chipchopper]

The trouble with the hover is that it's sucking up the stones,as well as the grass.

I'm inclined to agree with slack Alice on this one and would go for a wheeled rotary mower with at least 4-5 cutting heights.

I have a John Deere mulch mower, it cuts the grass so fine that I don't need to empty or rake up cuttings, which saves me a lot of time and effort!

[237SJ]

Thanks for the replies. I used to have a Qualcast rotary mower but I found it bulky (I want one that picks up the grass). The engine eventually packed up on that too. As I said, I don`t have much luck!

[Chipchopper]

A small Mountfield with a cylinder, may suit you, I used one of these to cut the grass for an elderly neighbor and was surprised how well it performed!
It had a teucamesh petrol engine, as I recall. It's easy to adjust the sole plate to keep it cutting well but it's probably a good idea to have it serviced during the winter.
Good luck
Chip

[KJN]

I purchased a Flymo 300 in the January sales as my old one , (cant remember the model) gve up the ghost. Done a first cut a couple of weeks ago when we had the nice weather and it blew more grass onto the dirt that it picked up, not very happy at all with it, I may well give this one to my son and get myself a cylinder. I know it sounds crazy but the Flymo's do not seem to be as good as they were a few years ago.

[237SJ]

KJN - yes, I had forgotton that downside. The flymo blows the grass all over my neighbour`s path when I do the front lawn. Cylinder it is then. Thanks everyone.